Dog Kennel Flaps

odeamarcas

Hi all,

Last year I bought an expensive dog kennel flap to keep the draught and rain out of my dogs kennels. He's a lab and she's a lab / sheepdog cross.

She loves to chew, and so it lasted only a few months. I need to find a cheap enough solution that I can replicate a few times a year.

I'm thinking plastic flaps that I can cut. Has anyone out there any ideas or have any solutions that worked for them?

Thanks.

Vizzy

I made my own.
Went to a company who make tarpaulin covers for trucks/boats etc.

Got a piece of clear flexible plastic( like the stuff you see in a warehouse door that forklifts drive through) for about €5. Its about 5mm thick.

Stiff enough to keep all but the worst of rain and wind out.

Bolted it to the inside of the kennel and just cut it down the middle with a Stanley knife.
Make sure you make it just a few mm shorter and narrower than the door opening cos the dogs wont get in otherwise.

My two love chewing too but no damage to it yet after 1 year and they are lovely and snug inside the kennel

Actually, while you are at it, why don't you make a non chewable bed for them as well.

Get some tarpaulin and cover an old mattress with it.
Nail it to the floor of the kennel and you have a very comfy and warm bed. ( it keeps all the draughts from the floor of the kennel).

I can put up some pics tomorrow if you wish.

irish_goat

Vizzy wrote: »

I can put up some pics tomorrow if you wish.

I'd like to see those. Our springer is always pulling his bed out of the kennel so would like something more permanent installed.

Vizzy

Hi Irish Goat.

Took these photos a few mins ago.

The flap is as I described last night.

I made the bed as follows;

Cut the foam mattress or a large piece of foam about 3 or 4 inches thick, to size (mine is about 3ftX2.5ft)

Lay down the tarpaulin over the mattress, leaving about 2inch overlap all around.

Cut timber boards for the back, sides and front and nail/screw them down.

Trim off the excess tarpaulin all the way around using a Stanley knife.

Because the tarp is waterproof you can simply powerwash it to clean.

Best of luck.

Vizzy

Fakediamond

What about a hinged stainless steel flap?

odeamarcas

Thanks a mill for the advise, I'll definitely try a DIY job this time, as the bloody things are expensive to be constantly replacing.

volchitsa

Vizzy wrote: »

Hi Irish Goat.

Took these photos a few mins ago.

The flap is as I described last night.

I made the bed as follows;

Cut the foam mattress or a large piece of foam about 3 or 4 inches thick, to size (mine is about 3ftX2.5ft)

Lay down the tarpaulin over the mattress, leaving about 2inch overlap all around.

Cut timber boards for the back, sides and front and nail/screw them down.

Trim off the excess tarpaulin all the way around using a Stanley knife.

Because the tarp is waterproof you can simply powerwash it to clean.

Best of luck.

Vizzy

Those beds look brilliant, vizzy, our dog chews hers and I hate having to leave her without something comfy outside. Inside too I guess, but at least she has cheapish mats and rugs that I can replace in her crate.